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Leschenault Inlet Hike

Went out to Leschenault Inlet in the middle of day so wasnt expecting much besides hopefully catching up with a pair of Ospreys I been watching for last 5 years or so.

Boy was I in for a surprise with some coastal birds in pole position, the ospreys (see other thread), a rainbow bee eater and finally though not the best of capture my first ever sighting of a buff banded Rail. This also happens to be number 108 sighting of South West WA big year bird sightings for me as well :)

Superb pole position shot laza. Were they Pied Cormorant? Any others in the perching party that you could see? I'm starting to sound like a broken record now , but I can't believe I lived in WA all those years before I was "bird aware" - all the birds I missed out on. Might just have to go back for an extended visit in a couple of years time I think to put that regret to rest. Greatto hear your sighting numbers have been bumped up again, must be the week for first sightings!

Those poles certainly look pretty comical with all those cormorants on them. I like the photo of the bee eater, they're really lovely birds. How would you go about catching them in flight, Laza, as aren't they pretty unpredictable (but it would be a lovely photo!)?

Annie, it seems like there are two time frames: BB and AB (Before Birding and After Birding). I walked part of a track I once did BB, and thought was pretty dull then. Now, AB, I kept stopping every 10 meters or so to try and find the birds lurking in the heath. Speak for yourself about first sightings, I just couldn't catch the Emu-Wrens.

great sightings ... thats a lovely photo of the bee-eater. A lot of the birds posted on here are new to me so i look them up in morcombes field guide ... i think the bee eater must be one of his favourites as he is usually very factual and dry, but about bee-eater he has quite a different tone and starts with "Orange wings flash against blue sky as a rainbow bee-eater twists and turns in pursuit of fast flying insects".

Hi, Laza. Yes we have bee eaters here now, we also get a lot of summer birds. At the moment the highlights are Painted Honey Eater (nesting), Black Honey Eater, Scarlet Honey Eater and Painted Snipe. I'll be trying to get better shots this Weekend.(have not managed a shot of the snipe yet).

I have not seen a painted honey eater - where did you see them - at the wetlands? Got a shot (not very good) of a European Goldfinch the other day at Namadgi and this morning early from my backyard (very distant) what was obviously a family group of what looked like wedge tails.

You will probably hear the wrens before you see them . I am so attuned to them now , and it is always the way for me , I tend to rely on my ears more than my eyes now when it comes to birds . We were only there briefly so I would love to go back down there for a visit again , we were visiting my brother-in-law in Bunbury .